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After giving up on walking up the Campsie fells due to mist and drizzle, I parked on the road of the Glazert hotel in Lennoxtown and decided to follow the footpath signs for the Thomas Muir trail. After about 2km into the walk I took a path off to the right that leads to the Clauchan of Campsie. Here I walked through the Schoenstatt Pilgrimage and Retreat Centre and down to a little car park where there is a gallery, cafe and a couple of other shops. Next to the gallery is what is left of St Machan's Church and it's very busy graveyard. There is a mausoleum here of which the Lennox family, of Lennox Castle before it was an asylum, are buried beneath.
The graveyard with the mausoleum on the rightIMG_5386 by
Phoebe Warner, on Flickr
I turned back here, went through the Woodland Walkway of Schoenstatt and back onto the Thomas Muir trail and headed upto the creepy Lennox Castle (which I didn't know existed until I saw it looming out of the trees ahead)
Start of the Woodland Walk and the burn that runs through itIMG_5392 by
Phoebe Warner, on Flickr
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IMG_5394 by
Phoebe Warner, on Flickr
First view of the castleIMG_5397 by
Phoebe Warner, on Flickr
I took a path off to the right of the castle and found Lover's Leap, a small viewing platform. Unfortunately, most of the view is hidden by the surrounding trees now.
Full view of the castle and it's mangled stairsIMG_5398 by
Phoebe Warner, on Flickr
IMG_5402 by
Phoebe Warner, on Flickr
Lover's LeapIMG_5403 by
Phoebe Warner, on Flickr
Back to the castle and onto the road past the Celtic training ground, then onto the trail and back at the car. All in all a great walk which I had not intended on doing and I've learnt a lot about Lennox Castle and it's history!